7.  The applicants were born respectively in 1953, 1940, 1950 and 1961. The first, third and fourth applicants are residing in San Martino Valle Caudina (Avellino), while the second applicant is residing in Rozzano (Milan). In 1988, the fourth applicant was a member of the San Martino Valle Caudina Town Council’s technical Committee (Commissione tecnica comunale), a body responsible for expressing opinions on the issuing of building permits and on the granting of public subsidies.
8.  On 23 October 1993 the Avellino Public Prosecutor’s Office commenced criminal proceedings against the applicants.
9.  On 19 November 1993 the Avellino Public Prosecutor requested that the applicants and three other persons be committed for trial on charges of aggravated abuse of public authority (abuso d’ufficio). In particular, the first, second and third applicants were accused of having induced the fourth applicant and two other persons to unlawfully grant them a public subsidy. MM. Augusto and Rezziero Pisaniello, Giovanni Clemente and another person were moreover accused of having built a cottage without complying with the conditions contained in the building permit.
10.  By an act filed with the Registry on 21 March 1994, the Avellino investigating judge scheduled the date of the preliminary hearing for 26 April 1994. This act, together with the Public Prosecutor’s request, was served on the second applicant on 29 March 1994 and on the other applicants on 7 April 1994. They were thus informed of the charges brought against them.
11.  The preliminary hearing was adjourned first until 5 July 1994, then until 18 October 1994. On that occasion, the case was adjourned until 17 January 1995 by reason of the absence of an expert summoned to appear on the Public Prosecutor’s behalf.
12.  On 17 January, 23 February, 6 April and 22 June 1995 the proceedings were adjourned because the lawyers of the Avellino Bar Association were on strike from 13 January until 9 October 1995. On 26 October 1995 the case was postponed in order to enable the said lawyers to take part in an assembly.
13.  The subsequent hearing was fixed at 21 June 1996. On that date the investigating judge observed that the order fixing the date of hearing had not been served on all the parties and therefore adjourned the proceedings until 23 July 1996, the date on which an expert was examined and the parties presented their pleadings.
14.  In a judgment of the same day, the Avellino investigating judge declared that the charge concerning the failure to comply with the conditions in the building permit was time-barred. This decision became final on 1 October 1996.
15.  In a separate order given on 23 July 1996, the investigating judge committed the applicants and one other person for trial, commencing on 16 January 1997, before the Avellino District Court, with respect to the charge of aggravated abuse of public authority.
16.  On 16 January 1997 the District Court, observing that the summons to appear had not been served on the San Martino Valle Caudina Town Council, ordered that a fresh summons be served and adjourned the proceedings until 18 June 1997. On the latter date the case was adjourned until 27 April 1998 because the lawyers of the Avellino Bar Association were on strike from 16 to 20 June 1997.
17.  On 27 April 1998 the parties presented their final pleadings.
18.  In a judgment of the same day, filed with the registry on 4 May 1998, the Avellino District Court held that the charge of aggravated abuse of public authority had become time-barred on 13 June 1996. This decision became final on 14 June 1998.